Introduction to Psychology (Fall, 2015)

SYLLABUS

Introduction to Psychology (Fall, 2015)

Section (006) TTH 1:00-1:50 p.m. (L.S. 122)

Section (007) MWF 2:00-2:50 p.m. (L.S. 124)

Instructor:Scott L. Coleman, Ph.D.

Office:416A Life Science

Office Hours:MW 11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. or by appointment

Phone: PsychologyDepartment (817) 272-2281; Office (817) 272-0345

Mailbox: Psychology Department, Box 19528

Email: Blackboard email – send electronic mail via Blackboard. Click “UTA Email” located on leftside menu, then select option (a) “All Instructor Users” and (b) “All Teaching Assistant_full Users”. This sends email to both the Teaching Assistant and the Course Instructor.

Weblinks:Psychology Department

Sona

Class

Teaching Assistant: Akshay Pachure, room 505 L.S.

Course Description

1315. Introduction to Psychology (3-0) 3 hours credit. The course is a general survey of the various areas of psychology and is intended to provide a scientific basis for understanding thoughts, emotions, and behavior. The course is designed to interest and meet the needs of both majors and non- majors. This course satisfies the University of Texas at Arlington core curriculum requirement in social and behavioral sciences. As such, it contains core objectives in critical thinking, communication, empirical and quantitative reasoning, and social responsibility.

Course Objectives: The material will cover research, theories, and applications of a wide range of psychological concepts, and will be designed to translate into and assess competencies in scientific and critical thinking, communication, empirical and quantitative reasoning, and social responsibility.

Student Learning Outcomes: Instructional goals are directed toward enabling students to recognize and recall basic facts and understand major concepts and terminology in all fields of psychology. Exams will focus the instructional goals listed above.

Upon completion of this course, students will:

• Be familiar with key psychological theories
• Understand the basic principles of psychological research
• Be aware of the various sub-disciplines in psychology
• Have a basic understanding when reading and evaluating psychology articles
• Understand how psychology can be applied to our everyday lives

In addition, as this course satisfies the University of Texas at Arlington core curriculum requirement in social and behavioral sciences, it contains core objectives and learning outcomes in the following:

·Critical Thinking Skills include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.

·Communication Skills include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication.

·Empirical and Quantitative Skills include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.

·Social Responsibility includes intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

Assessment of Core Curriculum Objectives: The Core Curriculum objectives (critical thinking, communication, empirical and quantitative reasoning, and social responsibility) will be assessed as items in a regularly-scheduled exam, to be explained by your course instructor. As with the Research Participation Requirement, completion of this assessment is required, in order to fulfill Core Curriculum objectives.

Required Textbook: “The Science of Psychology" by Laura A. King, 3rd edition McGraw Hill ISBN: 9780-0-07-353206-6. plus Connect. You will the Connect Code to access required Learnsmart course assignments. Purchase the electronic version of the textbook. Information on registering for Connect will be presented in class.

Examinations: There will be three regular exams and a comprehensive final exam. The exams will cover lectures, videos and assigned textbook readings. Each regular exam will contain approximately 50 questions and the comprehensive final exam will consist of approximately 80questions. Each exam will be worth 100 points for a total of 400 points based on exams. All exams will be given online using Blackboard. Each exam will be made available on Thursday thru Friday for no less than a 24 hr. time period. A 60 minute time restriction will be observed on the exams. Failure to complete the exam in the required time period will be penalized. In the event of a computer crash or some technical problem, a second opportunity to complete the exam will be given. However, there will be a 5% penalty assessed on second the exam attempt. A training exercise will give students the opportunity to use the testing system on Blackboard under actual exam conditions before taking an actual exam. This practice exam will serve as extra-credit worth 10% points on a regular exam. Please note: It is the student's responsibility to following instructions for successful completion of the online exams.

Exams are administered using Respondus Lockdown Browser in Blackboard. Respondus is a separate web browser that is install on campus computers and can be downloaded to a personal computers (see for software download. Additional instructions on Repondus can be found on Blackboard.

Missed Exams:A single “make-up”exam session for missed exams will be held on Thursday and Friday December 10-11, 2015. A request for taking a make-up exam must be made in writing. Please note: A “make-up exam” is not a “do-over” exam for poor performance on a previously taken exam.

Course Evaluation & Final Grade: The course grade will be based scores the exam grades and completion of online Learn Smart assignments; plus extra credit points that apply.There are 500 total points plus a possible 60 pts of extra-credit (10 pts practice exam + 50 pts. Clicker questions)

Grading Format, Weighting/Point: The grade for each exam will be based on the % correct of the exam questions. The minimum per cent points for a letter grade are (A=90, B= 80, C=70, D= 60. F= below 60. All exams, including the final exam, are of equal weight. Please note: Exams will not be curved

Important Dates: Last day of late registration is Sept 2nd, census date is Sept.14th, and last day to drop a class with a “W” is Nov. 4th .

Attendance: Although class attendance will not be taken, it is important to attend class since much of the material on the examinations will come from the lectures. Our experience has been that those students who attend class make the best grades.Attendance is necessary for the extra-credit opportunity in this course.

Specific Course Requirements with Descriptions

Learn Smart Assignment: Learn Smart is an interactive text designed to help you review the material learned in eachchapter. The Learn Smart system continually adjusts to your level of content mastery: Each assignment will appear in a content folder corresponding to the exam it appears in. All Learn Smart Assignments in a given content folder MUST be completed by 11:59 PM prior to the exam it corresponds with due dates. Each chapter on average will take approximately 45 minutes to 75 minutes to complete and will include between 60-100 questions. Scores are assigned based on the percentage of mastery for each assignment. Learn Smart Assignment will be worth a total of 100 points or the same value of an exam.

i Clicker2:Students are required to purchase an i>clicker2 remote for in-class participation and to obtain extra-credit. i>clicker2 is a response system that allows you to respond to questions I pose during class, and you will be graded on that feedback and/or your in-class participation. In order to receive this credit, you will need to register your i>clicker2 remote by [deadlineSept 8th, 2015]. Additional information of registering your i>clicker will be provided in class. i>clicker2 will be used frequently in class, and you are responsible for bringing your remote daily. Extra-credit quizzes will be given using thei>clicker in class. The value of the extra-credit quizzes will total 10% of the total points available in the course or 50 pts)

If you have more questions, please visit for FAQs and other resources.

Important i-Clicker 2 Policies: I consider bringing a fellow student’s i>clicker2 to class to be cheating and a violation of the University Honor Code. If you are caught with a remote other than your own or have votes in a class that you did not attend, you will forfeit all clicker points and may face additional disciplinary action.If you have lost or broken your i>clicker2 remote, you will have to purchase another one. Please email me with your new Remote ID so that I can manually register your new remote.

Research Participation Requirement: The Psychology Department requires that all students taking Introduction to Psychology complete a 6-credit research requirement. You will be able to complete this requirement by participating in on site or online research conducted by department faculty and their research assistants. As an alternative to participating in research, you may choose to write reviews of approved research articles. Completing this assignment will be done via Sona ( A departmental handout detailing this requirement and important deadlines can be found at at the research participation information link. Questions pertaining to this assignment can be sent to . Points are not added to the course grade for completion of the research participation requirement.

Grade Grievance Policy:Students wishing to submit a grievance concerning the grade received in this course should follow the procedures outlined in the undergraduate catalog.

Drop Policy: Students may drop or swap (adding and dropping a class concurrently) classes through self-service in MyMav from the beginning of the registration period through the late registration period. After the late registration period, students must see their academic advisor to drop a class or withdraw. Undeclared students must see an advisor in the University Advising Center. Drops can continue through a point two-thirds of the way through the term or session. It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw if they do not plan to attend after registering. Students will not be automatically dropped for non-attendance. Repayment of certain types of financial aid administered through the University may be required as the result of dropping classes or withdrawing. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (

Disability Accommodations: UT Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of all federal equal opportunity legislation, including The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), The Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. All instructors at UT Arlington are required by law to provide “reasonable accommodations” to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of disability. Students are responsible for providing the instructor with official notification in the form of a letter certified by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). Students experiencing a range of conditions (Physical, Learning, Chronic Health, Mental Health, and Sensory) that may cause diminished academic performance or other barriers to learning may seek services and/or accommodations by contacting:

The Office for Students with Disabilities, (OSD) or calling 817-272-3364.

Counseling and Psychological Services, (CAPS) or calling 817-272-3671.

Only those students who have officially documented a need for an accommodation will have their request honored. Information regarding diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining disability-based academic accommodations can be found at or by calling the Office for Students with Disabilities at (817) 272-3364.

Title IX: The University of Texas at Arlington does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, genetic information, and/or veteran status in its educational programs or activities it operates. For more information, visituta.edu/eos. For information regarding Title IX, visit

Academic Integrity: Students enrolled all UT Arlington courses are expected to adhere to the UT Arlington Honor Code:

I pledge, on my honor, to uphold UT Arlington’s tradition of academic integrity, a tradition that values hard work and honest effort in the pursuit of academic excellence.

I promise that I will submit only work that I personally create or contribute to group collaborations, and I will appropriately reference any work from other sources. I will follow the highest standards of integrity and uphold the spirit of the Honor Code.

UT Arlington faculty members may employ the Honor Code as they see fit in their courses, including (but not limited to) having students acknowledge the honor code as part of an examination or requiring students to incorporate the honor code into any work submitted. Per UT System Regents’ Rule 50101, §2.2, suspected violations of university’s standards for academic integrity (including the Honor Code) will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. Violators will be disciplined in accordance with University policy, which may result in the student’s suspension or expulsion from the University. Any violation of the University Honor Code will result in a zero score on the assignment or exam.

Electronic Communication: UT Arlington has adopted MavMail as its official means to communicate with students about important deadlines and events, as well as to transact university-related business regarding financial aid, tuition, grades, graduation, etc. All students are assigned a MavMail account and are responsible for checking the inbox regularly. There is no additional charge to students for using this account, which remains active even after graduation. Information about activating and using MavMail is available at

Student Feedback Survey: At the end of each term, students enrolled in classes categorized as “lecture,” “seminar,” or “laboratory” shall be directed to complete an online Student Feedback Survey (SFS). Instructions on how to access the SFS for this course will be sent directly to each student through MavMail approximately 10 days before the end of the term. Each student’s feedback enters the SFS database anonymously and is aggregated with that of other students enrolled in the course. UT Arlington’s effort to solicit, gather, tabulate, and publish student feedback is required by state law; students are strongly urged to participate. For more information, visit

Final Review Week: A period of five class days prior to the first day of final examinations in the long sessions shall be designated as Final Review Week. The purpose of this week is to allow students sufficient time to prepare for final examinations. During this week, there shall be no scheduled activities such as required field trips or performances; and no instructor shall assign any themes, research problems or exercises of similar scope that have a completion date during or following this week unless specified in the class syllabus. During Final Review Week, an instructor shall not give any examinations constituting 10% or more of the final grade, except makeup tests and laboratory examinations. In addition, no instructor shall give any portion of the final examination during Final Review Week. During this week, classes are held as scheduled. In addition, instructors are not required to limit content to topics that have been previously covered; they may introduce new concepts as appropriate.

Student Support Services: UT Arlington provides a variety of resources and programs designed to help students develop academic skills, deal with personal situations, and better understand concepts and information related to their courses. Resources include tutoring, major-based learning centers, developmental education, advising and mentoring, personal counseling, and federally funded programs. For individualized referrals, students may visit the reception desk at University College (Ransom Hall), call the Maverick Resource Hotline at 817-272-6107, send a message to , or view the information at

Emergency Exit Procedures:Should we experience an emergency event that requires us to vacate the building, students should exit the room and move toward the nearest exit, which is located on the North side of the Life Science Bldg.. When exiting the building during an emergency, one should never take an elevator but should use the stairwells. Faculty members and instructional staff will assist students in selecting the safest route for evacuation and will make arrangements to assist individuals with disabilities.

Course Outline

(Note: As the instructor for this course, I reserve the right to adjust this schedule in any way that serves the educational needs of the students enrolled in this course. – Dr. Coleman)

Chapter Reading Assignments for Exam 1

Chapter 1 What is Psychology?

Chapter 2Psychology’s Scientific Method

Chapter3 BiologicalFoundation of Behavior

Chapter 9 Human Development

Exam 1: (Online) Thursday/Friday, September 24-25

Chapter Reading Assignments for Exam 2

Chapter5 States of Consciousness

Chapter 6 Learning

Chapter 7 Memory

Chapter 8 Thinking, Intelligence and Language

Exam 2: (Online) Thursday/Friday, October 29-30

Chapter Reading Assignments for Exam 3

Chapter 10 Motivation and Emotion

Chapter 12 Personality

Chapter 13 Social Psychology

Chapter 14 Psychological Disorders

Exam 3: (Online) Thursday/Friday, November 19-20

Reading Assignments for Final Exam

Chapter 16 Therapy

Chapter 17 Health Psychology

FINAL EXAM: (Online)(To be announced)

The Final exam is comprehensive with questions related to course material (lectures, text, videos, etc.) found in chapter 16 (therapy), chapter 17 (health)andto all previously assigned chapters course material.